All About Kerala Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, 2019

Kerala had a head start in the Electric Vehicle market of India. In 2019, the government of Kerala approved the Transport (B) Department Order. It includes promotion, manufacturing, accessibility and growth of the Electric Vehicle (EVs) within the state. 

Why was it introduced and approved?

Introduced, to make the environment a better place to live and mobility easy for all. Kerala attracts various tourists every year, the government wants to offer its people and the government much more than backwaters, beautiful scenery and great food.

The government is taking various measures and step ahead in terms of upgrading its highways and infrastructures. Kerala already had a various number of busses, 4W, 3W, 2W registered (2016) in the state and wanted to promote it even more.  

Vision

With a vision to make mobility easy, environment clean and sustainable. it will provide a suitable ecosystem for users and manufacturers. 

Its target is as follows: 

• 2022: 1 million EVs on Road
• 2021: It plans to allocate 200,000 2W's, 50,000 3W's, 1000 goods carries, 3000 busses and 100 ferry boats. 

Investment Targets: 

• Component Manufacturing
• EV manufacture in the State and providing various facilities such as R&D, skilled manpower, favourable regulations etc. 

Key Policy Drivers

This order will be backed up by various forces such as: 

• Balancing the demand in the peak hours
• Improving the air quality index
• Boast of hardware and software of manufacturing in the state 
• Managing electricity grid 
• Upgrading the bus transport fleets: aim to use 6000+ busses by 2025. 
• Industrial growth 
• Committed towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

Structure

Se-MobSLTF, E-Mobility State Level Task Force! The government initiated development and growth in this state. It is focusing on all aspects to encourage people to make and buy EVs. From a manufacturer's point of view to a client's adoption view. Re-making and promoting smooth implication of EV roadmap.

Vehicle Category

Step-by-step and vehicle by vehicle it is focusing on all the EVs. Three-wheelers and bus transports would be a priority in terms of promotions.

Strategic Initiatives  

A strategic initiative it is: 

• Verifies the viability gap and is addressing it 
• Making sufficient charging stations
• creating awareness among people and re-skilling them to make and use the same

Creating Charging Infrastructure  

The government will strengthen the charging infrastructure by the NTPC and EESL i.e. Energy Efficient Services Ltd. It will generate load balancing formats, in creating huge charging networks (battery) and will provide financial incentives for setting up charging stations and swapping stations.

Manufacturing in the State

Government is providing various incentives for manufacturers and supporting “vocal for local”. Key focus on improving internal manufacturing ecosystem, thereby shifting from the import-dependent ecosystem to a consumption-driven economy. The manufacturers will enjoy various financial and regulatory benefits. Government is working to make an e-Auto manufacturing facility under Kerala Automobiles Ltd. (KAL), power distributors and energy system and storage providers. 

KSEB will ensure to meet the energy requirement for the project in the State (demand). The EVSE i.e. ELectric Vehicle Supply Equipment management systems will ensure people are connected with the nearest charging stations. The current focus is on the EVs and providing good infrastructure for mobility.

Awareness Creating & Promoting

• To begin with, the government planned to host EVs Expo. Yes, you read it right. All the EVs will be presented to the public for them to be aware and invest in one. 
• Create an E-mobility zone (pilot regions), these will be the potential zones in which people could come, feel and experience the EVs. These areas were tourist villages/spots (Munnar, Kovalam) - e-bikes, e-scooters, e-autos. Technology hubs, CBD of Trivand and Kochi and Kozhikode. Lastly, providing connectivity for urban transportation networks. 
• Making and supporting schemes for early adoptions: providing incentives, exemption from toll charges, free parking, state tax breaks, free permit to fleet drivers, road tax exemptions.

Human Capacity Building and Re-Skilling 

This order also includes people, the most crucial of all. The government of Kerala is looking forward to educating their people (students, young-adults, labourers and executives) 

The government initiatives to establish centres of innovation and excellence of EVs and Autonomous vehicles (including software development, battery, drivetrain technology and charging technologies.) 

Advance academic knowledge to be delivered in technical and engineering schools and colleges. Government is focusing on skill development of people for delivering hands-on learning for young graduates. The state planned to connect and increase the mobility of people via charging stations and good road infrastructure.

The Aftermath of Policy Application - 2021

Facts and figures state that the people of Kerala have taken this initiative very seriously. They are improving their air quality index and the maximum number of EVs sold in Kerala. 

After all of this, what needs to improve is the charging stations infrastructure in the state. People in Kerala have bought the EVs suitable for them yet require more assistance, from the government to install more charging stations.